Glioblastoma multiforme with extracranial metastases in the absence of previous craniotomy

LTHOUGH the occurrence of extracranial spread from intracranial tumors is common knowledge, this event still deserves reporting whenever observed. While craniotomy and shunt operations have been blamed for extracranial seeding from primary intracranial tumors, it is less well known that more than 10% of all cases reported have shown remote metastases in the absence of any previous surgical manipulation. From a review of 89 intracranial tumors with extracranial metastases published by Glasauer and Yuan ~ and from 78 additional cases z-~,z-za,~3,~5-38 found in the literature since the completion of their survey, it appears that cases of metastasis of neuroectodermal tumors without craniotomy make up a distinct minority. Within this small group are a few cases of glioblastoma2 ,~,~ This is particularly noteworthy considering the relative frequency and high malignancy of this oncotype. I am reporting another such case.